The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-04-30

iented the shepherd as having found,
say, twenty sheep, while eight were IT.
the woman would have
ost, say, six pieces Of silver, and found
but two, while four were utterly gone
the father would have had, say, four dis
Dbedient children, only one Of whom re-
turned, while three wandered in the
great desert of sin, irredeemable for
ever. This is not the doctrine Of these
simple yet divine stories. Their en-
phasis is not in the loss of the sheep,
silver or prodigal, nor in the value
placed on them by their owners, nor in
the diligence Of the searchers. There
are beautiful lessons in all this, but the
climax is where many Christians do
not place it, not on the loss, nor on the
finding of part, but on the fact that
the search was continued until all the
lost Uere found. The overlooked word
by multitudes of Christians, is the
word, until,"-the search continues
for the lost sheep and the lost silver
until they are found; and the father of
the wandering prOdigal loves, and waits,
and watches for his sons return until
he can say: 'My lost son is found"
These parallels teach, beyond all con-
troversy, that as truly as searching
follows loss restoration succeeds search
ing.
l. Christ's object eDas to redeem unirer-
sal humanity. "Jesus saith unto them,
my meat is to do the will of him that
sent me, and to finish his work" John
iv. "a. "For God sent not his Son into
the world to condemn the world; but
that the world through him might be
saved" John iii. II.
2. Christ has ample po,Uer to dchiece the
success of has purpose. ''And Jesus came
and spake unto them, saying, all power
is given unto me in heaven and in
EARTH" Matt. xviii, IS. 'As thou
hast given him power over all flesh,
that he should give eternal life to as
many as thou hast given him." John
xvii. 2. "The Father loveth the Son,
andhath given all things into his hand"
John iii. 35.
8. He will be successful. He himself
declared: cit is finished" John xix.
80. "And I, if he lifted up from the
earth, will draw all all men unto me.
This he said, signifying what death he
should die" John xii. 80, SO. ''No
man can come to me, except the Father
which hath sent me draw him; and L
will raise him up at the last day. 1t is
written in the prophets, and they shall
be all taught of God. Every man,
therefore, that hath heard, and hath
learned of the Father, cometh unto
me-" John vi. Al, 45. "All things
are delivered unto me of my Father;
and no man knoweth the Son, but the
Father; neither knoweth any man the
Father, save the Son, and he to whom
soeyer the Son will reveal him." Matt.
XII. 81. 'All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me; and him that cometh
to me, will in no wise cast out. For
came down from heaven, not to do
mine own will, but the will of him that
sent me. And this is the Fathers will
which hath sent me, that of all which
he hath given me l should lose moth
ing, but should raise it up again at the
last day. And this is the will of him
that sent me, that every one which
seeth the Son, and believeth on him,
may have everlasting life; and l will
raise him up at the. last day." John vi.
$40. II am the good shepherd and
know my sheep, and am known of mine.
AS the Father knoweth me, even so
know the Father; and lay down my
life for the sheep. And other sheep |
have, which are not of this fold; them,
also, must bring, and they shall hear
my voice; and there shall be one flock
and one shepherd" John x. 14-16.
Thus the Christ undertakes to save
all men. He has sufficient power to
succeed, and is, in fact, 1.-THE Saviour
of the world" which he would not be
if one soul were lost forever.
4. Universal Res tOration eoiU occur
tChen the final resurrection is consunamated.
sJesus answered and said unto them:
Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures,
nor the power of God. For in the res
direction they neither marry, nor are
given in marriage, but are as the angels
of God in heaven. But as touching the
resurrection of the dead, have We not
read that which was spoken unto you
by God, saying, am the God of Abra-
ham, and the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob? God is not the God of
the dead, but of the living" Matt. xii
1872. " And Jesus answering said
unto them, the children of this world
marry, and are given in marriage; but
they which shall be accounted worthy to
obtain that world, and the resurrection
from the dead, neither marry, nor are
given in marriage; neither can they die
any more, for they are equal unto the
angels; and are the children of God, be-
ing the children of the resurrection.
Now that the dead are raised, even
Moses showed at the bush, when he
calleth the Lord the God of Abraham,